The Journal of the Siam Society Vol. LXIV, Part 1-2, 1976 - Khamkoo

Till!: HOLE OF THE LAYMAN EXTRAORDINAIHE IN NORTHER!\ THAI BUDDHIS~I 165
parties involved in crisis or semi-crisis situations. The event has been
Buddhicized in that it is said each individual is composed of thirty-two
khwan, one for each of the thirty-two constituent parts of the body as
classified in the Indian Buddhist tradition.
The acharn who performs the riag khwan is literally a practioneer
in spirits and, consequently, plays a role not unlike that of a shaman.
However, unlike the shaman who becomes a medium of the spirit by
becoming possessed by it, a ph